Hydrogen -Sulfide

[Opihikaobob]

About 2 weeks ago on a Wednesday morning , I went into Pahoa at about 8:30 or 9am .
I was near the Library and high school and the air was reeking from a strong smell of H2s. It was raining and misty with near white vog/ fog rolling in from the direction of Pohiki( you could see the fog blowing, as it was windy) In the entire time of my living and coming here (since 1981) I cannot remember another time of smelling hydrogen-sulfide in Pahoa proper.
Since that time I have smelled it several times (never as bad as the first time ) in Pahoa.
I made mention of it to our fire station guys as they will be the first responders if there is an emergency, (not on the day it occured but about 1 1/2 week later). I learned then that apparently they do not have hand held h2s meters at the fire station , but they are kept elsewhere. This seems rather ridiculous that they would not have meter's on hand for rapid assessment of air quality , to inform the public immediately if there is a problem with the air. This matter should absolutely not be left up to the ORMAT officals alone.

The meter's are very inexpensive , see : http://www.sensorcon.com/hydrogen-sulfide-detectors/
I believe we all should buy some if we can afford one so that we can tell our neighbors or others when a h2s hazard is present.
As well everyone should buy a respirator with gas cartridges appropriate for hs2 so that in the event of an emergency you will not be made ill or worse.

[SBH]

Are you sure that's what you were smelling? I know that's a possibility with the geothermal plant but there has also been new lava flowing north and northwest of Pu`u `O`o burning forest for 1.6 miles north of Pu`u `O`o. Kona winds bringing vog would also bring that smoke from the fire and addition sulfur dioxide towards us too.

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/maps/uploads/image-59.jpg

Recent Observations at the middle east rift zone vents: The tiltmeter at Pu`u `O`o cone recorded a weak inflationary trend. The GPS line length from the north rim to the south base of Pu`u `O`o cone showed fluctuations without a longer-term trend since mid-May. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 300 tonnes/day on June 17, 2013, from all east rift zone sources; these values have ranged between 150 and 450 t/d in 2013; measurements are made at a greater distance from the sources where the plume is more easily characterized.

Spatter cones on the crater floor of Pu`u `O`o showed their typical incandescence and the northeast spatter cone continued to feed the Kahauale`a II lava flow north of Pu`u `O`o; the June-18 breakout from the Kahauale`a II lava tube high on the NE flank of Pu`u `O`o cone continued to advanced northward over the Kahauale`a II flow. As of last Friday, the most distant front of the Kahaulae`a flow is about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) due north of Pu`u `O`o and is advancing and burning forest at the north edge of Pu`u `O`o's 1983-1986 `a`a flow field. A second, more active, front is about 1.9 km (1.2 mi) NNW of Pu`u `O`o and is slowly advancing and also burning the edge of the forest. Finally, the breakout from the Kahauale`a tube on the lower northern flank of Pu`u `O`o continued to be active and may be building a low shield at the base of Pu`u `O`o cone. PNcam views overnight recorded continued activity at the flow fronts burning forest north of Pu`u `O`o.

Southeast of Pu`u `O`o, the Peace Day flow hosted minor active breakouts at the base of the pali and about mid-way across the coastal plain near the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park boundary. Most of the Peace Day flow, however, remained in lava tubes that empty into the ocean in two places - a main entry point, producing a persistent gas plume just east of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park boundary and a smaller entry point producing a smaller, intermittent gas plume just inside the National Park.

[Carey]

Also this thread occurred about an odd smell about the same time (2 weeks ago)...& it may have been a plant...:
http://punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16518

Added: I do like the name of the current "Peace Day" Pu`u O`o flow

[dragon2k]

I highly doubt it was PGV. Sounds like a very voggy day. Try living in Ka'u...

[TUCK]

What about if a bunch of us chipped in to buy the fire brigade
handhelds so they could have the equipment to assess the risk and to alert us if there is an actual risk.

Is there a way to do this through the forum for this project and future ones? Could there be an account number to which we could send contributions for worthwhile causes?

[VancouverIslander]

Hope that lava doesn't keep moving North!

[Seeb]

The VOG has been bad the past couple of weeks

this is a standard style gas detector for fire company's http://www.allhandsfire.com/DRAEGER-X-AM...S-DETECTOR but they take maintenance and training.

[pahoated]

It was the cloaking drones disguised as birds that are spraying chem trails which exposes the H2S being secretly leaked from PGV to poison the good people around Ophihikao and Pohoiki. It only affects good people, bad people are totally immune due to the dark humours in their blood already. If you aren't being affected, then you are bad. If you are made sick to your stomach to the point that the secret voices in your head are screaming, then you are good. This is the truth that is out there, in Puna.



"This island Hawaii on this island Earth"

[SBH]

Wake up Ted, it was only a dream. I'm enjoying some Sharky's coffee right now. Would you like a cup?

http://www.sharkyscoffee.com/

[Jay Bondesen]

H2S is detectable to people in the parts per billion range and the test equipment to measure at that level is considerably more expensive. Most experts consider it hazardous in the very low parts per million range and the duration of the exposure has to be considered as well. The Civil Defense Department is supposed to be working on getting this equipment into the field. Using them requires some training and the machines need regular calibration and care in their handling to insure accuracy. And then, what level at what duration constitutes a nuisance, a hazard, or an emergency? Depends on who you believe.

Jay